If you watched the animated version of Disney’s “The Lion King” from 1994, you are familiar with Jason Weaver, or at least his singing voice, which he lent to the role of Simba. Since then, the actor and singer has appeared in several movies and television shows — many of which have won awards. The 44-year-old actor and Chicago native is a shrewd businessman.
Even as a child, he had the wherewithal (or great advisors that guided him) to turn down a $2 million flat fee for his role in The Lion King, instead favoring a flat upfront payment along with royalties to be paid for his lifetime. As a result, he still enjoys Disney checks to this day. So, with a business acumen like that, and a career that shows no signs of slowing down, how much is Jason Weaver worth today?
Jason Weaver’s Early Life
Jason Weaver is someone that can say entertainment literally runs in his veins. He was born in 1977 and is the son of Marilyn “Kitty” Haywood, who is a member of the Chicago-based all-female vocal group Kitty and the Haywoods. One major highlight for his mother was that her group famously backed Aretha Franklin for the 1970s film Sparkle.
Jason Begins His Acting Career
While Disney’s animated “The Lion King” is one of his most famous early roles, Jason’s been starring opposite heavy hitters since he was a child. Before the animated movie chose him to sing as Simba, Weaver appeared in “Brewster Place,” the television series spinoff of the 1989 miniseries, “The Women of Brewster Place.” It starred Oprah Winfrey, who also served as executive producer. Although the show was canceled in the first season, it would be far from the last role for Jason Weaver.
That same year he snagged two movie roles including “The Long Walk Home” and the television movie, “The Kid Who Loved Christmas.” After that, he enjoyed several major roles in television miniseries, dramas and comedies throughout the 90s. This included playing a young Michael Jackson in the Emmy Award-winning two-part miniseries, “The Jacksons: An American Dream” in 1992 with notables like Angela Bassett, Terrance Howard, Vanessa Williams, Billy Dee Williams and Holly Robinson Peete.
Segue Into Singing
After his success adding the singing voice of Simba and as young Michael Jackson from The Jacksons miniseries, Jason Weaver turned his attention to entering the music industry. In 1995 he released his first album titled “Love Ambition,” which featured the titular track “Love Ambition (Call on Me)” and “I Can’t Stand the Pain.” He also released a second album, “Stay with Me.” In 2004, he was also featured on a track with rap artist Chingy titled “One Call Away,” which reached a Top 5 hit singles chart in the U.S.
Jason Weaver’s Acting Resume Grows
The early 2000s saw Jason Weaver’s acting star rise as he nabbed roles in numerous popular movies from the era. This included “Drumline” and “ATL,” as well as “The Ladykillers” and “Lottery Ticket.” Weaver’s luck changed when he secured a main cast role with the series “The LeBrons” from 2011 through 2014. This was followed by several one-off episode appearances on popular series such as “Black-ish,” “Unsung,” “Boomerang” and “We Stay Looking.”
In 2021, Weaver struck gold with a recurring cast role in season 4 of “The Chi.” This transitioned into a main cast role for season five playing Rashaad “Shaad” Marshall, which continued through 2022. In 2023, he joined the cast with the recurring role of Brian in the Tyler Perry produced BET series, “Sistas.”
Jason Weaver’s Current Net Worth
According to recent estimates, Jason Weaver’s current net worth is believed to be around $4 million. Keep in mind that he still receives residual royalties from lending his singing voice to Disney’s animated “The Lion King” as young Simba. Likewise, it can be assumed that he secured solid earnings with his recurring and main cast member roles on several of the television series, along with his roles in feature films.
